Four suspected drug traffickers were shot dead and a huge cache of methamphetamine was seized after soldiers tried to intercept a drug caravan crossing from Myanmar into Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai last night (Dec 5).

A group of soldiers from Pha MuangTask Force was patrolling along the border jungle in Mae Ai after receiving a tip-off that a huge amount of drug would be smuggled into the country.

At about 9pm, a heavily guarded drug caravan of 20 men was spotted crossing into the Thai border. The authorities tried to stop them for a search, but gun men in the group allegedly fired shots at authorities, leading to an exchange of gunfire.

The shooting went for 15 minutes and ended with the armed traffickers escaping in darkness.

Authorities inspected the clash site earlier this morning (Dec 6) and found four bodies of suspected drug traffickers and over 600,000 methamphetamine pills inside six backpacks.